


Promises

by Waywardfangir1



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Death, Funeral, Gen, Trigger Warnings, post major character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-01
Updated: 2016-02-01
Packaged: 2018-05-17 17:01:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5878627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waywardfangir1/pseuds/Waywardfangir1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lorelai and Emily linger at the funeral home after Richard's funeral.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

> This was always how I feel Lorelai and especially Emily reacted after Richard's death. Rest in Peace Edward Herrmann.

Lorelai closed the door, relieved that the last of the funeral guests left for the wake, save Rory, Luke, and of course Emily. Lorelai took on the role of greeter, as Emily was unable to put so much as a syllable together. She stayed silent throughout the entire procession, with no hint of emotion whatsoever on her face. Lorelai knew her mother much better than that, of course, and knew that Emily was fighting a losing battle internally. Rory and Luke wanted to stay and help her, of course, but Lorelai convinced them that it would be better for them to head to the Gilmore mansion and get things ready.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to stay, Mom?” Rory asked, doing her very best to keep her emotions in check.

“No, kid, really, I’ll be fine.” Lorelai replied, managing a small smile. “Besides, I think it would be better if you went up to Mom’s house to make sure things are ready for the wake.”

Rory hugged Lorelai tightly before turning to grab her purse. Luke lingered a bit, clearly not wanting to leave his wife’s side.

“Lorelai, I—“

“Luke…” Lorelai interrupted him softly. “I’ll be fine… Please, just go with Rory. She’s doing her best to keep it all together, but if she does break down, I don’t want her alone.”

Luke nodded, knowing that Lorelai was right. He leaned in to kiss her cheek, and leaned down a bit to rub her distended belly.

“Bye-bye Luke and Leia.” Luke said.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can, I promise.” Lorelai continued. 

Luke nodded and kissed her cheek once more before turning around to follow Rory. Lorelai waited at the door until Rory and Luke’s vehicles left the parking lot. She closed the door again and walked back to the viewing room. Emily remained where she had been since the funeral ended, standing over Richard’s casket, looking down at his body. Lorelai released a shaky breath and walked to her mother’s side.

For several long moments, silence stretched out between them.

“You lied to me.” 

Lorelai looked at Emily, fully intending to demand just what the hell she’d lied about. She caught herself however, when she saw that Emily's gaze was locked on Richard’s face.

“You lied to me.” Emily said again, her demeanor finally starting to break. “You promised me that I could go first. You promised me, Richard, you PROMISED ME!”

It was so rare a thing for Emily Gilmore to lose her composure to the point where she’d start screaming. Lorelai acted quickly, however, and acted on the first impulse that came to her mind. She grabbed Emily and pulled her into her arms, hugging her mother as tightly as she could.

“He promised me, he promised!” Emily kept saying, sobbing on Lorelai’s shoulder. Lorelai herself was blinking her tears back, trying to keep her own voice under control.

“I know, Mom, I know…” Lorelai soothed, hugging Emily still. She could feel Emily going weak in her knees, and she gently eased them both to the ground. Emily continued to cry, and Lorelai realized this was the first time Emily let everything go and cried over her husband’s death. A week had passed, during which time Emily was her usual self, focusing solely on the planning aspect. Now though, the brief moment in which there was nothing else for her to focus on, the reality of it hit her hard.

Lorelai continued to hold Emily in her arms, waiting until after the tears had subsided. Emily was the first to break the hug, reaching into her clutch purse for a handkerchief. Lorelai remained quiet as Emily wiped her eyes.

“Thank you, Lorelai.” Emily said softly. 

Lorelai managed a soft smile and squeezed Emily’s hand. “I’ll miss him, too.” 

Emily nodded as Lorelai stood up and offered a hand to Emily. 

“The wake doesn’t start for another hour.” Lorelai said. “Did you wanna stay here for a little while…?”

Emily nodded. “Only for a few minutes… I… Don’t want to be here when the mortician… Comes.”

Lorelai nodded. Richard had stated in his will that he wanted to be cremated, and that the majority of his ashes would remain with Emily, after small portions were given to both Lorelai and Rory. For now, she and Emily stayed by the casket, holding onto the last few moments they had with Richard.


End file.
